Bottle crate



July 25, 1933. FQREMAN 1,919,428

BOTTLE CRATE Original Filed July 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 25, 1933. 1 FOREMAN Q 1,919,428

BOTTLE CRATE Original Filed July 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R g Q ter resulting from ice Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE mos L. FOREMAN, or nnTnoIT, momma; assicivon To ron'wnnn CRATE conrona TION, or DETROIT, monman, A coaronA IoN or MICHIGAN BOTTLE CRATE Original application filed July 6, 1931, Serial No. 549,023. Divided and this application flledlnly 8, 1982.

- Serial No. 621,103.

My invention relatesto reinforced crates or boxes, and particularly to crates for carrying and storing milk bottles.

One object of my inventionv is to provide an improved crate which will have rigid walls vand a resilient interior constructionilcapable of withstand in shocks and rough andling any other type of crate now on the market.

Another 0 vide an improved bottom construction for a box or crate.v

A further object is to provide an improved separator for bottle crateshaving means for maintaining the bottles in avertical position. and means for effectively conducting the wapacked between the bottles against the exterior of the bottles.

A still further object is to provide an proved method of assembling crates.

With the above and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which there is disclosed one embodiment of the invention:

In the drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a milk bottle crate embo ying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top planview of the crate; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectionalview taken on the line IVs-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but ihowing the lower face of the division memer.

The crate comprises an upper frame A, consisting of side walls 1 and end walls 2, and a lower frame B, consisting of sidewalls 3 and end walls 4. The ends of the side walls and end walls are beveled at an angle of 45 from the outside edge, as shown at 4, and from the inside edge, as shown at 4", and the ends squared oil, as shown at 4, thereby providing anopen corner, as shown at Figure 2. The side walls are joined to the end walls ject of my invention is toprO -"v 5 a central beaded portion 5 formed outwardly, as shown in Figure 2.- The flan es 5 and 5 are corrugated, the corrugations c ing parallel and coextensive with the beaded portion 5; v

The flanges of the cornerstrips are inserted 111 suitable kerfs 6 cut into the squared ends 4 of the cratewalls, the width of the kerfs being such that the corrugations of the metal corner pieces frictionally engage alternately the opposite walls of the kerf, as shown in Figuure 2. It will be evident from the foregoing descriptionthatby virtueof this construction an unobstructed passage is. ro-

videdbetween the beaded portion 5 an the squaredends 4, and further unobstructed passages are provided between the corru ations of the corner pieces and the walls of 51 kerfs 6 to' allow free drainage of water and free circulation of air. 9

The inside of he upper frame A is provided at its top with stacking guides 7, each 'comprisin a'body'portion 8 of angular cross section an an inwardly ofi'set extended port1on'9 which projects above the crate walls 1 and 2. Rivets. 10 extend through the walls land 2, the corner strips 5 and the body portion 8 ot thestacking guides 7, thereby securing the-"s tacking guides and the corner I strips .tothe upper irame-A. By inserting Figure 5 s an enlargedperspective view of the upper face of a portion of the edge ofa V certain division member; and,

cept that the extended ofisetportion 9 is omitted.

Theframe B is provided at its bottom corners with metal protecting and binding plates 11. Each of these plates comprises external flanges which fit against the outside faces of walls 3 and 4, and bottom webs which extend in from the sides and fit under the edges of" these walls and internal flanges which fit over the lower end of a corner piece 5, as shown in Figure 1. The outer surfaces of the corner plates 11 are made flush with the outer surfaces of the subjacent walls by counter-sinking the latter at the lower corners, as shown in Figure 1.

A horizontal divisionmember or separator 12 has its edges between the two frames A and B, as clearly shown'in Figures 3 and 4. The manner in which the division member 12 is securely anchored at the frames A and B is as follows: Around the edge of the division member, so spaced as to vertically alined with the center of the frames, are a plurality of apertures 13 through which pass the shanks of nails 13, the heads of these nails being below the web of the division member, and their points being driven upwardly into the body of the frame A. Po-

blanking out portions of the metal, the

blanked out portions being of such shape as to leave four triangular prongs 15, which are turned downwardly at approximately right angles with respect to the plane of the separator 12, thereby forming yieldable bearings for engaging loosely the body of the bottles, the prongs being of such length that the bottles are maintained in proper position, even though the entire crate of bottles be placed on its side or end. The portions of the separator between the openings 14 arevprovidedwith cross-shaped raised portions 16 which deflect the ice water into the openings 14, thereby creating a thin film of cold water on the bottles while descending.

The bottom member 17 of the crate comprises a one-piece sheet metal plate formed to provide a suitable open bottom grid to support the bottles and with downwardly bent flanges 18' to accomplish the desired height of the floor line for the bottles, and .having its edges 20 beaded outwardly and upwardly to fit the'inner beaded portion 21 of lower frame B. Rivets 19 securely anchor the bot-. tom member 17 in place. The openings 23 in the bottom member 17 permit ice, broken glass, bottle caps, and other foreign substances to fall or be shaken out.

For supporting the inner construction, a plurality of V-shaped braces 24 are employed to attach division member 12 to bottom member 17, thereby bringing the two members together for added strength. The braces are suitably riveted to the separator'l2 by rivets 25 and to the bottom member 17 by rivets 26.

inserted from the outside into the holes provided therefor. The stacking guides 7 are then placed over the extended end of the rivets and the riveting operation performed. The end walls 2 are then placed in position, further rivets lOinscrted', and a further riveting operation performed. This completes the top frame sub-assembly. The top frame is then placed, inverted in a special assembling jig frame v(not shown) with the metal corner strip 5 projectingupwardly. The metal separator or division member 12 is then placed in position and the nails 13 are driven through the-aperture 13 and into the top frame A. The lowcrframe B is then placed over the'extending corner strips 5, which are received by the kerfs 6, provided therefor, and; pressed into position, the tangs 13 of the division member 12 beingforced into the kerfs 13 in the frame B.' The bottom member 17 with the V-shaped braces 24 riveted thereto isthen placed in position. The jig frame securely binding against the horizontal spreading by suitable closing toggle type lever clamps built in the channel band allowing vertical movement of the lower I portions of the crate when the jig frame fixture has been slid into position under the ram of a suitably constructed power press, which according to the adjustment of the press.

The fixture and entire assembly are then withdrawn from the press. The bottom corner protecting plates 11 are then placed and rivets inserted therein. The toggle arrangement is then released and the assembled crate is removed for the corner plate riveting operation. The remaining lower row of rivets 19 for securing the bottom member 17 to the frame 13 are then inserted and riveted. The rivets 25 for securing the V-shaped braces 24 to the separator 12 are then inserted and riveted,

In'use, when bottles are in the'crate, the prongs 15 prevent displacement of the bottles when the'crate is tilted or set on end. If ice is packed around the'bottles, the drippings from the ice are conducted by the raised portions 16 into the openings 14 of the division member 12, and'a continuous thin film of cold water is thus maintained around the bottles.

No claim is herein made to the construction and arrangement of improved corner reinforcement by mcans of the metal corner strips consisting of elongated angle pieces 5 having flanges 5 and 5" and a central beaded portion 5 formed outwardly, said flanges 5 and 5" being inserted in the kerfs 8 cut 'into the squared ends 4 of the crate Walls 1 sion and covered by patent ofeve'n date.

' From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that an extremely simple and inexpensive construction has been provided for carrying out the objects of the invention.

Inasmuch as many changes can be made in the above construction, without departing from the scope of my invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle crate, including a sheet metal separator, said separator being provided with a plurality of openings, one opening at least being partially surrounded with a channel like formation, said channel formation being provided with depending opposed resilient tab like projections, the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of the insertion of a bottle therebetween.

2. A bottle crate, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, a sheet metal separator having its edges disposed between said frames and provided with a plurality of openings, one opening at least being partially surrounded with a channel like formation, said channel formation being provided with depending opposed resilient tab like projections, the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of the insertion of a bottle therebetween, and a bottom member secured to the lower frame, for supporting the inserted bottles.

3. A bottle crate, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, a sheet metal sepa rator having its edges disposed between said frames and provided with a plurality of openings, one opening at least being partially surrounded with a channel like formation, said channel formation being provided with depending opposed resilient tab like projections, the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of the insertion of a bottle therebetween, a bottom member secured to the lower frame for supporting the inserted bottles, and braces interposed between and attached to said separator and bottom member to preserve the spaced apart relationship between said separator and bottom memher.

4. A bottle crate, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, a sheet metal separator having its edges disposed between said frames and provided with a plurality of openings, and having its sections between said openings raised and sloping toward said openings, oneopening at least being partial- ;ti'ons,'the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of the insertion of a bottle therebetween.

5. A bottle crate, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, a sheet metal separator having its edges disposed between said frames and provided with a plurality of openings, and having its sections between said openings raised and sloping toward said openings, one opening at least being partially surrounded with a channel like formation, said channel formation being provided with depending opposed resilient tab like projections, the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of the insertion of a bottle therebetween, a. bottom member secured to the lower frame for supporting the inserted bottles, and braces interposed between said separator and bottom member and attached to the underside of the raised sections of the separator and upper side of the bottom member to preserve the spaced apart relagion between said separator and bottom mem- 6. A bottle crate, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said lower frame provided with a groove in its lower face, a sheet metal separator having its edges disposed between said frames and provided with a plurality of openings, one opening at least being partially surrounded with a channel like formation, said channel formation being provided with depending opposed resilient tab like projections, the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of theinsertion of a bottle therebetween, a sheet metal bottom member having side walls, the edges of which are beaded, said beaded edges engaging the groove in lower face of said lower frame, and means for securing said side walls to the lower portion of said lower frame.

7 A bottle crate, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, said lower frame provided with a groove in its lower face, a sheet metal separator having its edges disposed between said frames and provided with a plurality of openings, one opening at least being partially surrounded with a channel like formation, said channel formation being provided with depending opposed resilient tab like projections, the end portions of at least two opposed projections being so spaced from each other as to admit of the insertion of a bottle therebetween, a sheet metal bottom member having side walls, the edges of which are beaded, said beaded edges enbottom member to preserve the spaced apart relation between said separator and bottom member and bending of sai revent inward distortion or bottom member.

AMOS L. FOREMAN. 

